A loud clanking sound reached the opposite bank and dissipated into the thick jungle of Twin Rivers when the two blades met furiously.

When Clara revealed that she had no intention to share the possession of the book with him, Ethan challenged her to dual.

Her blade was already at his throat. She could dismiss his challenge and take the book away. But she figured it was no fun. Clara wanted to test her skill against another warrior who can wield spells. It was her goal to take down Mordu' with her own blade.

She started fighting with some street thugs by the age of fourteen. By 15, she could easily beat a group of thugs. By 16, she won over three adventurers coming at her. By 18, she learnt 'divination' and fought small monsters alone. By 20, she learnt advanced spells and hunt monsters like beargum and apparitions but she never fought a Templer before. She believed Ethan could be a test of her skills.

She accepted the challenge. "You should have walked away and soothed your wounds before challenging me. You will regret this decision." She took her blade away from his throat and readied her stance.

"You talk big for someone who tried to backstab her partner, girl."

"Humph, you were facing me when I pointed my blade. Just admit that you are slower."

"We will see."

"Bring it on."

She quick-stepped toward Ethan as she was confident in her speed. Ethan swung horizontally to block her advance but she dodged to his right and entered his space. She spinned, increasing her force and cut Ethan.

"I win." She declared her victory in her mind.

It was too soon.

She felt her blade, which was supposed to be cutting flesh, was hit by a boulder. Except it was not a boulder but Ethan's blade. She was thrown off by the force from Ethan's block. She quickly recollected herself but she noticed her sword-holding fingers were numbed and shaking in tremor. "I definitely saw his blade going in the opposite direction. How did it reach back to me?" She wondered in silence.

After watching Clara fight a few times, Ethan recognised her pattern. She moves a lot and spins a lot, which was why he thought she was dancing when he first saw her fight. She also has good reflexes. So he used them against her.

When she charged toward him, he countered her with a horizontal swipe. But that counter was a fake. He knew she would dodge it easily so he did not put much strength into that strike. He quickly recalled his blade to his right and deflected her attack in full strength, numbing her hand.

"I must admit. You are good. But that was half of my actual strength." Clara trash-talked to Ethan. She tried to break his calmness. But Ethan was not swayed. "Come." He challenged her.

She took out her second blade. She circled him, awaiting his mistake. However, he was not a fool to spin around with her, chasing her tail. He stood firm to his ground and awaited her attack. It ticked her off. Impatient, she charged in when she reached his blind spot.

Ethan predicted that. He turned around and easily deflected her.

"Is that all you got?" He returned mockery to which she replied, "Of course, not."

Clara switched her tactics to something more violent. She charged in like a bull and threw swift and successive attacks at Ethan. She covered up her lack of force with 'divination', making each slash a devastating blow. Any average fighter would be fallen victim to such spell-reinforced attacks.

However, as a seasonal warrior with 'divination' bestowed by Temple, Ethan continuously blocked her attacks with his own divination. He sensed her attacks getting slower and becoming more predictable as she became exhausted. At one point, he parried her attack, knocking one of her swords out of her grasp.

Clara realised that she could not beat Ethan in her current state. As much as it hurt her pride, her priority is the book which is in her hand, not beating Ethan. She must return to the palace with the book and reveal the dark secrets of Mordu' to take down the Temple and save her people from the fake idol.

"I am a princess and a warrior. It is such a dishonour to run away from a dual. But for the sake of people, I shall give up everything." She murmured in silence.

She quickly prepared her escape plan. They were in the forest. There were enough trees and shrubs to hide and run. She put her idea into action immediately.

"Vinegrip." She hindered his movements by shackling with some vines, then she tried to escape with the book of Sahel.

Ethan grasped the situation quickly. "Divine Blade!" He cast a bolt of lightning toward a shrub in front of Clara. It caught on fire immediately and blocked her path.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He found his attempt to halt her escape worked well; really well, too well. He saw Clara sitting down on her knees, dazing at the fire. The result was unexpected. He thought she would run to another path.

What Ethan did not know was that Clara had a traumatic experience with lightning. Ever since she saw her brother Rene struck down by lightning from Mordu', she faltered to her knees when she heard the sound of lightning or thunder. No matter how much stronger she got since that day, she was still afraid of thunder. It was the very first sound which led to the death of her entire family.

Ethan carefully approached quivering Clara, not sure if she was pretending to get him off-guard. Then he found her quaking in fear for real; like a poor little puppy which lost her mother. He felt bad so, he sheathed his sword and waited for her to get back on her feet. A moment later, Clara was back to herself. She accepted her defeat and gave the book of Sahel to Ethan.

"Here. It is yours." She handed over the book gloomily. She cannot afford to lose the book but she cannot be any more shameless. She was thankful that Ethan did not attack her when she was incapacitated. She surrendered the book to Ethan. She walked away gloomily. Then she heard Ethan calling her.

"Wait. Where are you going without taking your share?"

"My share?"

"Didn't I say that you own the half? We stole this from the Temple together."

"But I lost the dual. It is yours now."

"Yes. You lost. So, I should be the one writing the term for the dual. And I say we share."

"Don't be ridiculous. We can't tear the book in half."

"No, we can't. But I can convince Madame to sell you the book. In discount probably. I am sure you can resell your client in profit."

"H*ck. You are stomping to dirt."

Clara lowered her head and chuckled at the ridiculous pity Ethan took on her. It was as if he was crushing her dignity completely. She was not sure if he is a kind man or a brutal person. But she had to let him be since she needed that book desperately. If she could dishonour a dual, then she could let him crush her dignity all he wants, for the sake of her mission.

And so, she accepted the deal and bought the book of Sahel from Madame with a considerable amount then, she brought it to her brother Louise and counsellor Arthur secretly.

A few days later, Cleo got the news that the man from the Eastern continent arrived by ship to Southsail. Cleo decided to go by herself since she does not trust anyone with the book. "Inform your man to come to Imba, Uncle Arthur. I will be there with the book." She ordered Arthur as she prepared to set off to their secret lair.

Imba is a small neglected village inside the desert, south of Indra. It was built next to an oasis. However, its location served no purpose so traders rarely passed through it. No one goes the extra effort to travel across the desert when there is a greeny grassland to walk. All of the above make Imba a haven for outlaws.

"I shall inform, princess." Arthur addressed her politely. Cleo noticed him being more serious than usual. "However there is one important matter we need to discuss before we take anything into action, princess. Yesterday, Luther and I discussed and after a serious and honest discussion, we agreed that Louise was right. Even if we find the dark secret of Mordu' from the book, we still lacked the manpower and strength to take down Temple. Let's say we, by chance, take down Temple, I doubt we can beat Mordu'. We have no one who can fight him, currently."

Cleo sighed heavily after hearing Arthur. "so do you want me to give up?"

"no. But let's wait a little more. You are still twenty while Mordu is over a hundred. You will get stronger while he will get weaker. Until that day_"

"what if he didn't get weaker? What if he gets stronger? The incident in twin rivers showed he is stronger than in his prime." Cleo cut Arthur.

She had decided and nothing will sway her mind.

She reassured Arthur that she has a plan; and that she has found someone who might best Mordu'. "His name is Ethan. An ex-captain. And stronger than some templers. I fought him so I know he is stronger than anyone we have."

"I see. An ex-templer." Arthur nodded in agreement. "so this champion, can he be trusted? What's his reason to leave the temple?"

"There are a few. One is a woman."

"A woman. True. Love is one of the catalysts that can change a man's heart."

"The temple killed his woman. And they also unjustly convicted him of criminal. He has enough reasons to go against them. If we use him properly, he will be our spear to pierce the heart of Mordu'."

Arthur nodded again. He was in deep thought. He also agreed that they can use Ethan against the Temple. "but he is still a man. A mortal. Can he become a spear that can reach a being who has transcended beyond men?

"Not by himself. We will become the hand which throws the spear to split the sky." Cleo gave a meaningful smile which had a very dark and dangerous meaning behind it.